Sway
by DeathBladeVI
Summary: Connor Kenway is working to free America from British oppression. One night, in 1776, he saves a ship that houses Sophia Finch, a member of British Royalty. As the Revolution intensifies, the two will cross paths often. And they wander, who will sway who?


_"By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. Remember, O Lord, The Children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem who said, "Raze it, raze it, even to the foundation." O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed. How happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us. Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones."_

-Psalms 137:1, 7-9 King James Bible

_Atlantic Ocean, 1776_

Darkness.

It surrounded the ships as they glided in the choppy waters known as the Atlantic Ocean. Sailing for months on end, the ships' occupants were cold and hungry, but were excited, for they were heading towards a new place, a place of wonder and opportunity.

America.

Where they would be able to build new homes, build new lives, experience new adventures. As Sophia Finch looked from the portside of the HMS _Wasp_ she felt the smooth and gentle breeze of the wind, as it gracefully lifted her blonde, curly hair, and she giggled. Her family was heading to New York, in order to meet with her brother, a member of House Finch. He was the Earl of Winchilsea and Nottingham and one of the most important figures in the Americas right now.

The small fleet of British ships plowed through the waves and Sophia loved every moment of it. She loved the smell of the sea, the smell of saltwater and fish, the crisp ocean breeze. As he felt the wind take her away, two Scottish soldiers watched her with admiration and curiosity. They were members of the famous 42nd Regiment of Foot, or the Black Watch.

"So, the wee lass loves the sea huh?" one of them asked, leaning on some cargo. The other smiled at the young eighteen year old girl, the old Highlander thinking that the young noblewoman reminded him of his daughter.

"Aye. The lass loves the sea. She isn't like the other folks we transport. No, its too cold, never enough light, never enough caramel sauce to shove up our arse!" the elder Highlander jested, and the younger one howled with laughter.

"So, how long until we reach New York?" the younger Highlander asked, his hands dug deep into his pockets. It was cold, the biting wind snapping at him, and he was struggling to keep warm.

"Probably another week or so. As long as the wind stays strong, and we all stay together, no American Privateers, no pirates, nor any of those Frenchies will bother us," the Highlander said seriously.

Ever since the colonies in America declared their independence, the British had trouble putting down the rebellion. The rebels were spread out, though they had the main army retreating across New England. With piracy on the rise once more due to the Royal Navy being stretched thin and the French starting to attack merchant ships and other convoys that Britain depended on for food, it was becoming tough. Thousands and thousands of British soldiers were being committed into putting down the rebels, but George Washington and his ilk were still out there.

"Ah, those damn American Privateers. A friend of mine, a captain in the Navy, was attacked by them. They know no fear lad! Only if you outnumber them about five to one, then they'll steer clear! And those damn pirates! I swear that they are making a resurgence. Our bases in the Bahamas are being raided by those damn people every other day!" the elder Highlander ranted and the younger one nodded in agreement. Piracy was trouble and when there pirates were involved, one tended to try and stay away.

As the two talked about everyday life, Sophia was now near the main mast, talking with a sailor on duty about the sixteen cannons onboard the _Wasp. _The _Wasp _was a sixteen gun sloop, one of the fastest ships in the Royal Navy, and one of the finest. Along with the _Invincible, Lion of England, Manchester, _and the famous frigate HMS _Rose. _The five ship squadron were escorting a dozen merchantmen to New York, carrying Loyalists, reinforcements, families ready for a new start.

As she was talking with him, she and neither did the helmsman, notice that they were now separated from the main convoy. They had drifted just under a mile away from the squadron, now essentially alone in the Atlantic. As the silhouettes of the other ships disappeared, she was lost in her own world of sailing. She wanted nothing else to just go away and start to sail into the night.

And then, they came.

A spread of cannon fire suddenly boomed into the starboard bow, raking the wooden oak hull of the HMS _Wasp _with solid shot. Two cannons were rendered useless as the solid cannon shot made impact with their barrels, their gun crews either dying with them or still asleep in the hammocks. The sailor threw the young lady to the ground, not caring that she was highborn.

"What is happening?" she asked, panicking. She had never been onboard a ship that was being attacked before.

"I don't know! Maybe Privateers, maybe pirates. Could be the French for all we know," the sailor said hurrying to below deck. More cannonballs slammed into the hull of the _Wasp _and three more guns were destroyed, taking their gun crews with them. As the wounded started to pile up, Royal Marines and men of the 42nd Regiment started to open fire on their aggressors, their muskets booming and the smoke from the gunpowder filling the air.

"RUDDER's OUT CAP'N!" a sailor yelled and Sophia could hear the anger from the captain's voice. Captain William Charles was not a very happy man on good days and now that his pride and joy was being attacked by a band of whatever these were, it was not time to panic.

"Cap'n! I see what the lettering on the other ship is!" another sailor cried out and the Captain swung his head towards the sailor and huffed towards him. Another broadside of the main cannons from the other ship raked his deck, killing and maiming at least a half-dozen sailors and Marines. The Highlanders opened fire once more, after reloading, and the Captain saw that more than one body tumbled from the deck of the enemy ship.

He could see it clearly now,a fearsome frigate that flew the colors that he dreaded. A black flag, darkened it seemed, with blood, carrying the skulls and bones. The Jolly Roger was not welcomed by him, and he ordered a broadside from his own guns, despite five of them being out. His cannons fired heated shot and slammed right into the hull of the frigate, but it was too little. The frigate then slammed on its brakes, of course that is an analogy, before docking right next to the _Wasp. _The flashes from the cannons were the only light source that he had, though the moon helped little.

"Damn it all to hell! Men of the _Wasp _prepared to be boarded!" Captain Charles warned and the grim reality dawned on the crew. Soon, grappling hooks were started to be thrown from the enemy ship, and another broadside rocked the _Wasp. _It was all too late for the _Wasp;_ nine guns were out of commission, half of its crew were dead and wounded, and the six passengers they were escorting were now in mortal danger. But the sailors and Marines refused to go and give up. Battle began when a Highlander made contact with another man, and soon, more and more enemy troops swung onto the _Wasp. _

Captain Charles drew his officer's sword, ready to dance and cross blades with whatever came his way. He saw that his ship was on fire but his crew kept fighting. He then saw his first enemy.

He was a big man, carrying an axe that was already dripping with blood, no doubt one of his crew members. Massive arms and massive legs, the man charged at him, his axe raised high. But what he was wearing gave clue to what the hell they were facing. He was no doubt a pirate.

"Come and get me you big ugly fucker!" the Captain shouted and the man complied, swinging his axe in a downward arc, and the Captain's battle began in earnest. The two traded blows, the Captain being the more nimble one despite his age and dodging rather than blocking. The man roared in disgust before launching attack that forced the Captain back, his axe sweeping in massive arcs of death and destruction.

All around him destruction was happening. Two Highlanders impaled a single pirate together with their bayonets, taking grim satisfaction that they had killed their target. Four Royal Marines fired off a volley at close range, killing and wounding three pirates and then joined the fray.

The big pirate charged forward, before his axe chopped straight into the mast. Cursing, he tried to wrench it, but not before the Captain plunged his sword straight into the brute's neck, ignoring the grating noise of the strike or the gurgling blood that appeared. At least a score more of his men were dead or wounded, and the remaining were being pushed back. More and more pirates were swinging onto the _Wasp, _and that meant more trouble.

Five more of his men were killed in a deadly melee battle, but the pirates paid a bloody price of a dozen of their number wounded and killed by musket fire and melee. Captain Charles ducked under a pirate's strike, and parried another, flashes of sparks giving him some small light. His ship was ablaze, but was still intact.

And more and more pirates kept swinging onto the _Wasp. _

Just as he was about to lose hope, suddenly the booming of cannons was once again and he saw the shadow of a ship, beautifully made, gliding straight toward them. The ship fired off a broadside straight into the pirate frigate, blowing up a powder keg and detonating the ammo store. The pirate ship was set ablaze and the pirates onboard the _Wasp _looked awestruck as the destruction of their ship. The ghost ship fired another broadside, the mast of the pirate ship fallen as it broke.

"Fire er again!" yelled a sailor as he ran toward the pirates. The Royal Marines were starting to get organized, now in double ranks, forming a wall of bayonets and muskets against the pirates. As the pirate ship was being sunk, more and more pirates were swinging from the burning ship to the other burning ship.

The Marines were doing their best, firing volley after volley, but just the sheer weight of numbers were offsetting that advantage of veterans. The Captain ducked under a wild swing of a sword, before parrying easily an axe as he ran toward the wheel, hoping his first mate was still there and piloting the ship out of the damn area. He saw his first mate alright.

Dead with an axe between his eyes. Cursing, he swung wildly and clashed with another pirate, who he managed to kill, though his sword arm was heavy with fatigue. More and more pirates were swinging onto the ship.

And then he heard a scream.

Turning quickly, he saw Sophia, the wee little lass that he had been in charge of, was about to be raped by another pirate. As he ran toward her, two pirates blocked his way, their axes ready to kill. He raised his sword overhand, blocking and the sweeping the feet of one of the pirates. But it was too late.

"Its alright girly, its gonna be quick and easy!" the pirate boomed as he was about to rape her. But then, fate decided that Lady Luck was still smiling on them.

Men were landing on the deck, but they weren't pirates. No, they wore uniforms that didn't match the Royal Navy nor any privateer that Charles had ever saw. But one of them, a big man that was light on his feet, raced toward Sophia.

And then red covered the deck once more. The pirate was killed, his blade pierced by a blade that was hidden in the man's wrist. After that, he threw a strange weapon toward another pirate, the weapon wrapping around his neck, and then the man pulled, the pirate being forced in his direction. As that happened, the man raised his wrist and plunged it straight into the pirate's throat, killing him instantly.

The strange crew were dressed similarly to the man, most of them wearing white and blue. One of them was wearing the exact same outfit as the strange man, and was wielding a butcher's cleaver. The cleaver slashed forward, blood flashing.

The crew of the ship quickly turned the tide, killing most of the pirates within minutes. Swords were still dancing, but the crew of the pirates were being forced into a corner, before the crew of the other ship and the Royal Marines killed all of them in a bloody melee that claimed three more of his crew's life and wounded one of the sailors from the other crew.

The Captain looked at his ship. It was burning, but the ship was seaworthy. His remaining crew was patching up the ship, and he loved how the _Wasp _was able to take all this damage. The crew of the other ship swiftly left, jumping off to the other ship. The strange man that had saved Sophia held her in his arms as he headed toward him.

"Are you this woman's guardian?" he asked, and the Captain nodded. Sophia was asleep, but was scared, clutching on the big man. As the Captain looked at the man, he was surprised to see that he was of darker skin color, most likely a Native of the Americas. His hood was white and covered his head, while the hood was connected to a white dress jacket with blue lining as well as a thin red sash fastened with a strange insignia, and brown boots with leggings that extended past his knees. He was also heavily armed.

Two pistols were hung on his back, along with a rifle and a bow. Several arrows filled a quiver, and he saw that he a tomahawk and a sword hung on his belt. He was of a strong and heavy build.

* * *

Sophia stirred in someone's arms and saw that she was in a massive man's arms. She looked up, to see a man of darker complexion that she was, having tanned brown skin. He and the Captain were talking, but all she could see was the handsome and rugged face of the man.

"Let me down," she mumbled and the man let her down, but was supporting her.

"What's your name?" she asked the man, and she that he hesitated. But he quickly rebounded before saying,

"My name is Connor Kenway. I must leave. You are much closer to New York than you think. Sail for another day or so, and you will reach Captain. Good luck to you."

And then man left.

Connor.

Sophia thought that was a nice name for a man like him.

* * *

Okay. I'm sorry, but I cannot focus on one story. So...okay.


End file.
